Pelargonium plant named ‘Regwey’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Regal Geranium plant named ‘Regwey’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; white and dark purple bi-colored flowers; and no requirement for a cooling treatment for flower initiation and development.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium grandiflorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘REGWEY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Regal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium grandiflorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Regwey’.

The new Regal Geranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new early flowering Regal Geranium plants that do not require a cooling treatment for flower development.

The new Regal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2007 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented. The new Regal Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the spring of 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Regal Geranium plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since October, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Regal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Regal Geranium have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with various environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Regwey’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Regwey’ as a new and distinct Regal Geranium plant:

-   -   1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded         plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. White and dark purple bi-colored flowers.     -   6. No required cooling treatment for flower development.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent selections in flower color. In addition, plants of the new Regal Geranium are more uniform than plants of the parent selections.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium can also be compared to plants of the Pelargonium grandiflorum ‘Regpet’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,909. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Regal Geranium differed from plants of ‘Regpet’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flower petals of plants of the new Regal Geranium were         broader than flower petals of plants of ‘Regpet’.     -   2. With development, flowers of plants of the new Regal Geranium         did not change in color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Regpet’         became light lavender in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Regal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Regal Geranium plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Regwey’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter, spring and summer in 19-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural practices which closely approximate commercial Regal Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were six months old when the photograph was taken and nine months old when the description was taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium grandiflorum ‘Regwey’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, somewhat outwardly             spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; inverted             triangle; densely foliated; vigorous growth habit; freely             basal branching habit with numerous lateral branches             developing per plant.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 40 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 50 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Texture: Moderately             pubescent. Color: Close to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate or opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 5 cm.         -   Width.—About 6 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate; palmately lobed.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate, open.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent;             leathery.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137C; venation, close to 137C. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B; venation,             close to 144A. Zonation pattern: Not discernible.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single rotate             flowers arranged in inversely conical umbels arising from             apical leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane             on strong peduncles; flowers face upright to outwardly;             freely flowering habit; about five flowers per umbel.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about five months after planting; in outdoor             gardens in Germany, plants flower from spring until frost;             plants do not require a cooling treatment for flower             initiation and development.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about two weeks on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Umbel height.—About 6 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 10 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Spindle-shaped. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single             whorl; petals imbricate. Length, upper petals: About 4 cm.             Length, lower petals: About 4 cm. Width, upper petals: About             4 cm. Width, lower petals: About 2.5 cm. Shape, all petals:             Obovate. Apex, all petals: Rounded. Base, all petals:             Cuneate. Margin, all petals: Entire. Texture, all petals,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color,             upper petals: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:             Close to between 70A and 187A; margins and towards the base,             close to 155D. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Close to between 70A and 71A; margins and towards the base,             close to 155D. Color, lower petals: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 155D. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 155D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five or six, arranged in a             single whorl. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 5 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 146B.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About             2.5 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Slightly outwardly slanted.             Texture: Moderately pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 1.5 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Texture:             Moderately pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About ten. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Tubular.             Anther color: Close to 72A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 171A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 2 cm. Stigma shape: Five to             six-parted. Stigma color: Close to 61A. Style length: About             1 cm. Style color: Close to 61C. Ovary color: Close to 147C.             Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Regal Geranium. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Regal     Geranium plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about     35° C. to 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Regal Geranium plant named ‘Regwey’ as illustrated and described. 